I LOVE all your tips! When it comes to pins, I LOVE glass tipped pins because sometimes when I need to iron the glass tipped pins won’t melt! The marking wheel is amazing, so sleek. Thank you for all these great suggestions.
My best upgrade so far was going from using regular pincushions (bought and self made) to a magnetic board for pins. It’s not a big thing but it makes such a difference in how fast and easy you work with your pins!
My game changer is using a wooden clapper when tailoring garments and in quilting also. It gives seams such a nice flat seam and a professional look, and never screams “homemade.” Love your videos!
@@Julija_Gobere, I would gladly send you one of mine. I have two sewing studios and more than several types of clappers. In my first quilting class 8 years ago, I was using a clapper and my quilting instructor had never heard of one, so I gave her one. It was a game changer for her. Now I see in the US, clappers are made for quilters also.
This may sound silly, but purchasing a regular bodkin, instead of using a safety pin, for threading elastic through a tunnel, was a big change and made it so much easier! Until then, I had only used a safety pin (bc I’d always heard the tip of using a safety pin instead of buying a bodkin. Bodkins are not expensive at all, so I don’t know why a person would bother to use a safety pin instead, unless a bodkin wasn’t available. I also have some beautiful sewing shears and I agree that they are certainly worth the investment!
Awesome. All good things to know. I haven’t upgraded anything recently, but I’m looking at the iron and scissors. I have downgraded, though, I have switched to primarily using a 1947 Singer 201. That thing is so awesome especially when making buttonholes.
I bought Gingher scissors - beautiful chrome ones - in 1984 for CAD $80 and considering my income at the time, this was a major splurge. Adjusting for inflation, today's equivalent price would be $208.50. Over the years they've cut an astounding quantity of fabric ranging from organza to 1000 denier nylon cordura. They've never had to be sharpened and I've only honed the knife edge (with a Gingher stone) two or three times. One of the best splurges ever. I think the low quality solid chalk issue might be universal because I started to use the Clover chalk wheels in the 1980s for the same reason. They're a tube instead of a heart, but they work the same way, come in four colours, and they're re-fillable. Those and a hera marker (for a few fabrics) are all I use now. I also switched to magnetic pin cushions back then, too. I set one behind the machine in line with my right hand, and I don't have to stop sewing when I pull out a pin in front of the needle. I just pitch it in the general direction of the magnetic pin cushion where it gets caught (and I rarely miss). I struggled with using a safety pin to thread elastic through casings or the thin rod with a hook to turn rouleau for *years*, cursing creatively all the while. I wish I had upgraded to proper loop turners and elastic threaders far sooner - it wasn't until I'd been sewing for 10 years before I did so.
Kai scissors are the best and the chalk wheel pen from Clover is very good too. Comes in 4 colors of chalk (if I remember correctly) and you can buy refills. I have mine since 10 years and it still about 3/4 full!
Finding decent pins & needles in Australia is also difficult. I bought a supply online which were minimally better than the Spotlight stock made by Birch. Hopefully I will go to Japan next year so pins will be on the shopping list.
All great upgrades and necessary too ! I too have a steam iron similar to yrs and also an Italian brand but different to yours however, what I do not like about mine is when I fill it up with water there is no indicator to tell me if i have reached maximum level and most of the time it overflows and I need to clean up the mess each time. My next boiler must have an indicator ! Pls do you have a video on hemming Knits ? I tried using a double needle on my sewing machine but did not like the finish and I am not sure if I can manage on my (air threading overlocker/serger) . I must get that chalk marker you showed us as most chalk available is so inferior quality . Thank you Julija and wishing you all the best for the festive season.
My iron also does not have an indicator and it’s such a guessing game! Do I have enough water, do I need to refill, how much to fill in?…😅 As for hemming knits - I have a video from a few weeks back that might be helpful🤗
I wish that I discovered magnetic seam magnets that have a clip to lightly keep the fabric in place. I now use a seam gauge and wonder how I managed in the preceding 43 years without one. A bobbin box that keeps each bobbin separated is another thing I wished I started with. The threads don't tangle. An awl is another thing that I wish that I started using earlier. I bought mine at the hardware store and it is wider near the handle. I wish that I could afford a professional iron but that is out of my budget by far. They are about $450+ here in the US. I'm still trying to save up for a semi industrial walking foot machine. That will cost me around $600 for a Consew or $1,100 for a SailRite. I like to sew jeans from heavy denim. I had to compromise on the regular sewing machine and bought a Singer Heavy Duty with tons of embroidery stitches. It cost me $350. It has more power than my Bernina Bernette. It does feel more like sewing on the old machines from before 1980 than anything thing else. I love that the machine does round eyelets. My serger is 32 years old and has been a real workhorse. A pain to thread it but I wear bifocals. I've almost always bought entry level scissors and take them to be sharpened every other year or so. My more expensive pro scissors vanish never to be found.
Hello! Thank you for the video. Only there is some problem with the sound. If I watch the video wearing my earphones, the sound comes only through one ''ear''
I had the same issue with her second-to-last video but no others on TH-cam: no audio at all through my speakers. I didn't think to try my headphones so I did this time, and I have audio through them but only in the left channel.
How odd. Me, too. When I read your comment I thought it must be your earbuds/ headphones, but then I realized my headphones only worked on the left; both sides worked on a different video.
Thank you for this insight - I edit my own videos and sound is definitely something I struggle with. I will try to get better with sound in future videos!
While this is most likely only available in the U.S., I am really glad I invested in the waxed tracing paper from Susan Khalje Couture. It's the best tracing paper I've ever used.
I know that Susan Khalje Couture also sells the Chakoner marking wheel (I saw her video on this tool before buying it). Sounds like her store has great quality items🤗
Thank you for this video! I've spent a few hours researching how to choose iron for sewing and now I feel justified to buy a professional one hahah Btw, do you use tap water or distilled water for this iron?
I really appreciate the guidance you give. Thank you. I am currently struggling to mark my pattern onto white cotton. I'd like to try the marking wheel you mentioned, but I couldnt catch what you called it. Please could you write down it's name and the manufacturer so I can buy one? Many thanks .
I LOVE all your tips! When it comes to pins, I LOVE glass tipped pins because sometimes when I need to iron the glass tipped pins won’t melt! The marking wheel is amazing, so sleek. Thank you for all these great suggestions.
My best upgrade so far was going from using regular pincushions (bought and self made) to a magnetic board for pins. It’s not a big thing but it makes such a difference in how fast and easy you work with your pins!
My game changer is using a wooden clapper when tailoring garments and in quilting also. It gives seams such a nice flat seam and a professional look, and never screams “homemade.”
Love your videos!
I’m thinking of getting the wooden clapper, too - but none of the sewing stores have it in my country, so I need to figure out where to get it from 🤔
@@Julija_Gobere, I would gladly send you one of mine. I have two sewing studios and more than several types of clappers. In my first quilting class 8 years ago, I was using a clapper and my quilting instructor had never heard of one, so I gave her one. It was a game changer for her. Now I see in the US, clappers are made for quilters also.
Found out the iron brand from her other vids for anyone interested:
Bieffe BF054BE Stir Vapor Steam Ironing System
This may sound silly, but purchasing a regular bodkin, instead of using a safety pin, for threading elastic through a tunnel, was a big change and made it so much easier! Until then, I had only used a safety pin (bc I’d always heard the tip of using a safety pin instead of buying a bodkin. Bodkins are not expensive at all, so I don’t know why a person would bother to use a safety pin instead, unless a bodkin wasn’t available.
I also have some beautiful sewing shears and I agree that they are certainly worth the investment!
I agree about the bodkin - bought mine this year and it works way better than safety pin🤗
Awesome. All good things to know. I haven’t upgraded anything recently, but I’m looking at the iron and scissors. I have downgraded, though, I have switched to primarily using a 1947 Singer 201. That thing is so awesome especially when making buttonholes.
I bought Gingher scissors - beautiful chrome ones - in 1984 for CAD $80 and considering my income at the time, this was a major splurge. Adjusting for inflation, today's equivalent price would be $208.50. Over the years they've cut an astounding quantity of fabric ranging from organza to 1000 denier nylon cordura. They've never had to be sharpened and I've only honed the knife edge (with a Gingher stone) two or three times. One of the best splurges ever.
I think the low quality solid chalk issue might be universal because I started to use the Clover chalk wheels in the 1980s for the same reason. They're a tube instead of a heart, but they work the same way, come in four colours, and they're re-fillable. Those and a hera marker (for a few fabrics) are all I use now.
I also switched to magnetic pin cushions back then, too. I set one behind the machine in line with my right hand, and I don't have to stop sewing when I pull out a pin in front of the needle. I just pitch it in the general direction of the magnetic pin cushion where it gets caught (and I rarely miss).
I struggled with using a safety pin to thread elastic through casings or the thin rod with a hook to turn rouleau for *years*, cursing creatively all the while. I wish I had upgraded to proper loop turners and elastic threaders far sooner - it wasn't until I'd been sewing for 10 years before I did so.
I absolutely agree about loop turners and elastic threaders - safety pin works, but proper tool works waaay better and is not even that expensive🤗
Kai scissors are the best and the chalk wheel pen from Clover is very good too. Comes in 4 colors of chalk (if I remember correctly) and you can buy refills. I have mine since 10 years and it still about 3/4 full!
I’ve read that chalk wheels last a very long time, but 3/4 full after 10 years sounds VERY impressive!🤩
Finding decent pins & needles in Australia is also difficult. I bought a supply online which were minimally better than the Spotlight stock made by Birch. Hopefully I will go to Japan next year so pins will be on the shopping list.
I just got some kai scissors too. They are super sharp.
Thank you
And happy Christmas 🎄
You look stunning in that black Audrey dress!
Thank you!🤗
All great upgrades and necessary too ! I too have a steam iron similar to yrs and also an Italian brand but different to yours however, what I do not like about mine is when I fill it up with water there is no indicator to tell me if i have reached maximum level and most of the time it overflows and I need to clean up the mess each time. My next boiler must have an indicator ! Pls do you have a video on hemming Knits ? I tried using a double needle on my sewing machine but did not like the finish and I am not sure if I can manage on my (air threading overlocker/serger) . I must get that chalk marker you showed us as most chalk available is so inferior quality . Thank you Julija and wishing you all the best for the festive season.
My iron also does not have an indicator and it’s such a guessing game! Do I have enough water, do I need to refill, how much to fill in?…😅 As for hemming knits - I have a video from a few weeks back that might be helpful🤗
I wish that I discovered magnetic seam magnets that have a clip to lightly keep the fabric in place. I now use a seam gauge and wonder how I managed in the preceding 43 years without one. A bobbin box that keeps each bobbin separated is another thing I wished I started with. The threads don't tangle. An awl is another thing that I wish that I started using earlier. I bought mine at the hardware store and it is wider near the handle.
I wish that I could afford a professional iron but that is out of my budget by far. They are about $450+ here in the US. I'm still trying to save up for a semi industrial walking foot machine. That will cost me around $600 for a Consew or $1,100 for a SailRite. I like to sew jeans from heavy denim.
I had to compromise on the regular sewing machine and bought a Singer Heavy Duty with tons of embroidery stitches. It cost me $350. It has more power than my Bernina Bernette. It does feel more like sewing on the old machines from before 1980 than anything thing else. I love that the machine does round eyelets.
My serger is 32 years old and has been a real workhorse. A pain to thread it but I wear bifocals.
I've almost always bought entry level scissors and take them to be sharpened every other year or so. My more expensive pro scissors vanish never to be found.
450 USD for an iron is really a lot🫣 I paid for mine 210eur (~226 usd) and domestic irons with boilers cost about 180-250 eur here🤗
@@Julija_Gobere lucky you. Things are so expensive over here.
I like my Baby Lock Evolution which has air threading and auto tension. That might not be for everyone but I literally just thread and go.
Hello! Thank you for the video. Only there is some problem with the sound. If I watch the video wearing my earphones, the sound comes only through one ''ear''
I had the same issue with her second-to-last video but no others on TH-cam: no audio at all through my speakers. I didn't think to try my headphones so I did this time, and I have audio through them but only in the left channel.
How odd. Me, too. When I read your comment I thought it must be your earbuds/ headphones, but then I realized my headphones only worked on the left; both sides worked on a different video.
Thank you for this insight - I edit my own videos and sound is definitely something I struggle with. I will try to get better with sound in future videos!
@@Julija_Goberenever mind! My left ear really enjoyed it 😂
While this is most likely only available in the U.S., I am really glad I invested in the waxed tracing paper from Susan Khalje Couture. It's the best tracing paper I've ever used.
I know that Susan Khalje Couture also sells the Chakoner marking wheel (I saw her video on this tool before buying it). Sounds like her store has great quality items🤗
I didn't see that before. Thanks for pointing that out. I'll have to order one of those. 😃@@Julija_Gobere
Great content but the sound is only playing in one earbud vs both. Not sure what would cause that but wanted to let you know!
Thank you for letting me know - seems there was an issue with sound when editing, will fix it in future videos!🤗
Where do I order pattern?
Your links do not work …steam iron
Thank you for this video! I've spent a few hours researching how to choose iron for sewing and now I feel justified to buy a professional one hahah
Btw, do you use tap water or distilled water for this iron?
Where do I order pattern?
I really appreciate the guidance you give. Thank you. I am currently struggling to mark my pattern onto white cotton. I'd like to try the marking wheel you mentioned, but I couldnt catch what you called it. Please could you write down it's name and the manufacturer so I can buy one? Many thanks .
The marking wheel I’m using is called Chakoner - it comes in different color refills, so it will be useful to find the right color for marking🤗